Direct Proof of a Stated Identity or Equality

The question asks the student to prove or verify that a specific equation, identity, or equality holds (e.g., showing two expressions are equal, verifying a functional equation, or establishing an algebraic identity).

grandes-ecoles 2025 Q36 View
Let $n \geq 1$ be an integer. For $A \subset \mathbb{R}^n$, let $E_A = \sum_{\gamma \in A \cap \mathbb{Z}^n} x^\gamma \in \mathbb{C}[[\mathbb{Z}^n]]$.
Show that if $A$ and $B$ are two subsets of $\mathbb{R}^n$ and $\gamma \in \mathbb{Z}^n$ we have $$E_{A \cup B} + E_{A \cap B} = E_A + E_B \quad \text{and} \quad E_{\gamma + A} = x^\gamma E_A.$$
grandes-ecoles 2025 Q32 View
We fix an integer $d \in \mathbb{N}^*$, and we equip $\mathbb{R}^d$ with the usual inner product denoted $\langle \cdot, \cdot \rangle$ and the associated Euclidean norm $\|\cdot\|$. We denote $C := \{x \in \mathbb{R}^d \mid \|x\| \leq 1\}$ the closed unit ball of $\mathbb{R}^d$, and we are given $f \in \mathcal{C}^1(\mathbb{R}^d)$. Let $x_*$ be a minimizer of $f$ on $C$. Suppose in this question that $\|x_*\| < 1$. Show that $\nabla f(x_*) = 0$.
grandes-ecoles 2025 Q12 View
12. Show that, if $0 \leqslant j \leqslant n - 2$, for all $0 \leqslant i \leqslant n - j - 1$, the polynomial $p _ { i }$ is orthogonal to $\mathbb { R } _ { i - 1 } [ X ]$ for the inner product $\langle \cdot , \cdot \rangle _ { j + 1 }$.
isi-entrance 2015 QB2 View
Consider the squares of an $8 \times 8$ chessboard filled with the numbers 1 to 64 as in the figure below. If we choose 8 squares with the property that there is exactly one from each row and exactly one from each column, and add up the numbers in the chosen squares, show that the sum obtained is always 260.
12345678
910111213141516
1718192021222324
2526272829303132
3334353637383940
4142434445464748
4950515253545556
5758596061626364
isi-entrance 2015 QB2 View
Consider the squares of an $8 \times 8$ chessboard filled with the numbers 1 to 64 as in the figure below. If we choose 8 squares with the property that there is exactly one from each row and exactly one from each column, and add up the numbers in the chosen squares, show that the sum obtained is always 260.
12345678
910111213141516
1718192021222324
2526272829303132
3334353637383940
4142434445464748
4950515253545556
5758596061626364
isi-entrance 2017 Q8 View
Let $k , n$ and $r$ be positive integers.
(a) Let $Q ( x ) = x ^ { k } + a _ { 1 } x ^ { k + 1 } + \cdots + a _ { n } x ^ { k + n }$ be a polynomial with real coefficients. Show that the function $\frac { Q ( x ) } { x ^ { k } }$ is strictly positive for all real $x$ satisfying
$$0 < | x | < \frac { 1 } { 1 + \sum _ { i = 1 } ^ { n } \left| a _ { i } \right| }$$
(b) Let $P ( x ) = b _ { 0 } + b _ { 1 } x + \cdots + b _ { r } x ^ { r }$ be a non-zero polynomial with real coefficients. Let $m$ be the smallest number such that $b _ { m } \neq 0$. Prove that the graph of $y = P ( x )$ cuts the $x$-axis at the origin (i.e. $P$ changes sign at $x = 0$) if and only if $m$ is an odd integer.
isi-entrance 2024 Q3 View
Let $ABCD$ be a quadrilateral with all internal angles $< \pi$. Squares are drawn on each side as shown in the picture below. Let $\Delta _ { 1 } , \Delta _ { 2 } , \Delta _ { 3 }$ and $\Delta _ { 4 }$ denote the areas of the shaded triangles shown. Prove that
$$\Delta _ { 1 } - \Delta _ { 2 } + \Delta _ { 3 } - \Delta _ { 4 } = 0 .$$
isi-entrance 2024 Q4 View
Let $f : \mathbb { R } \rightarrow \mathbb { R }$ be a function which is differentiable at 0. Define another function $g : \mathbb { R } \rightarrow \mathbb { R }$ as follows:
$$g ( x ) = \begin{cases} f ( x ) \sin \left( \frac { 1 } { x } \right) & \text { if } x \neq 0 \\ 0 & \text { if } x = 0 \end{cases}$$
Suppose that $g$ is also differentiable at 0. Prove that
$$g ^ { \prime } ( 0 ) = f ^ { \prime } ( 0 ) = f ( 0 ) = g ( 0 ) = 0$$
isi-entrance 2026 Q3 10 marks View
Suppose $f : [ 0,1 ] \rightarrow \mathbb { R }$ is differentiable with $f ( 0 ) = 0$. If $\left| f ^ { \prime } ( x ) \right| \leq f ( x )$ for all $x \in [ 0,1 ]$, then show that $f ( x ) = 0$ for all $x$.
isi-entrance 2026 Q5 10 marks View
Let $a , b , c$ be nonzero real numbers such that $a + b + c \neq 0$. Assume that $$\frac { 1 } { a } + \frac { 1 } { b } + \frac { 1 } { c } = \frac { 1 } { a + b + c }$$ Show that for any odd integer $k$, $$\frac { 1 } { a ^ { k } } + \frac { 1 } { b ^ { k } } + \frac { 1 } { c ^ { k } } = \frac { 1 } { a ^ { k } + b ^ { k } + c ^ { k } }$$
italy-esame-di-stato 2023 Q1 View
Let $ABC$ be a right triangle with right angle at $A$. Let $O$ be the center of the square $BCDE$ constructed on the hypotenuse, on the opposite side from vertex $A$.
Prove that $O$ is equidistant from the lines $AB$ and $AC$.
italy-esame-di-stato 2024 Q6 View
6. In a Cartesian coordinate system $O x y$, consider the equilateral hyperbola with equation $x y = k$, with $k$ a non-zero real parameter. Let $t$ be the tangent line to the hyperbola at a point $P$ of it. Let $A$ and $B$ be the points where $t$ intersects the axes of the reference frame. Prove that the triangles $A P O$ and $B P O$ are equivalent and that their area does not depend on the choice of $P$.
italy-esame-di-stato 2025 Q1 View
1. Given a triangle $A B C$, let $M$ be the midpoint of side $B C$ and let $B ^ { \prime }$ and $C ^ { \prime }$ be two points, respectively, on side $A B$ and on side $A C$, such that $A B ^ { \prime } = \frac { 1 } { 3 } A B$ and $A C ^ { \prime } = \frac { 1 } { 3 } A C$. Prove that, if the segments $M B ^ { \prime }$ and $M C ^ { \prime }$ are congruent to each other, then so are the sides $A B$ and $A C$.
jee-advanced 2003 Q18 View
If In is the area of $n$ sided regular polygon inscribed in a circle of unit radius and On be the area of the polygon circumscribing the given circle, prove that $$I _ { n } = \frac { O _ { n } } { 2 } \left( 1 + \sqrt { 1 - \left( \frac { 2 l _ { n } } { n } \right) ^ { 2 } } \right)$$
jee-main 2015 Q88 View
The negation of $\sim s \vee (\sim r \wedge s)$ is equivalent to:
(1) $s \wedge \sim r$
(2) $s \wedge (r \wedge \sim s)$
(3) $s \vee (r \vee \sim s)$
(4) $s \wedge r$
jee-main 2016 Q68 View
The Boolean expression $(p \wedge \sim q) \vee q \vee (\sim p \wedge q)$ is equivalent to:
(1) $p \wedge q$
(2) $p \vee q$
(3) $p \vee \sim q$
(4) $\sim p \wedge q$
jee-main 2016 Q69 View
The contrapositive of the following statement, "If the side of a square doubles, then its area increases four times", is:
(1) If the area of a square increases four times, then its side is not doubled.
(2) If the area of a square does not increase four times, then its side is not doubled.
(3) If the area of a square does not increase four times, then its side is doubled.
(4) If the side of a square is not doubled, then its area does not increase four times.
jee-main 2016 Q82 View
The Boolean expression $(p \wedge \sim q) \vee q \vee (\sim p \wedge q)$ is equivalent to: (1) $\sim p \wedge q$ (2) $p \wedge q$ (3) $p \vee q$ (4) $p \vee \sim q$
jee-main 2016 Q83 View
The contrapositive of the following statement, ``If the side of a square doubles, then its area increases four times'', is: (1) If the area of a square increases four times, then its side is not doubled. (2) If the area of a square does not increase four times, then its side is not doubled. (3) If the area of a square does not increase four times, then its side is doubled. (4) If the side of a square is not doubled, then its area does not increase four times.
jee-main 2020 Q58 View
For two statements $p$ and $q$, the logical statement $(p \rightarrow q) \wedge (q \rightarrow \sim p)$ is equivalent to
(1) $p$
(2) $q$
(3) $\sim p$
(4) $\sim q$
jee-main 2020 Q60 View
Let $A , B , C$ and $D$ be four non-empty sets. The contrapositive statement of "If $A \subseteq B$ and $B \subseteq D$, then $A \subseteq C$" is
(1) If $A \nsubseteq C$, then $A \subseteq B$ and $B \subseteq D$
(2) If $A \subseteq C$, then $B \subset A$ and $D \subset B$
(3) If $A \nsubseteq C$, then $A \nsubseteq B$ and $B \subseteq D$
(4) If $A \nsubseteq C$, then $A \nsubseteq B$ or $B \nsubseteq D$
jee-main 2020 Q58 View
Negation of the statement: $\sqrt { 5 }$ is an integer or 5 is irrational is:
(1) $\sqrt { 5 }$ is not an integer 5 is not irrational
(2) $\sqrt { 5 }$ is not an integer and 5 is not irrational
(3) $\sqrt { 5 }$ is irrational or 5 is an integer
(4) $\sqrt { 5 }$ is an integer and 5 irrational
jee-main 2020 Q57 View
The contrapositive of the statement ``If I reach the station in time, then I will catch the train'' is
(1) If I do not reach the station in time, then I will catch the train.
(2) If I do not reach the station in time, then I will not catch the train.
(3) If I will catch the train, then I reach the station in time.
(4) If I will not catch the train, then I do not reach the station in time.
jee-main 2020 Q59 View
The proposition $p \rightarrow \sim ( p \wedge \sim q )$ is equivalent to:
(1) $q$
(2) $( \sim p ) \vee q$
(3) $( \sim p ) \wedge q$
(4) $( \sim p ) \vee ( \sim q )$
jee-main 2020 Q58 View
Contrapositive of the statement: 'If a function $f$ is differentiable at $a$, then it is also continuous at $a$', is
(1) If a function $f$ is continuous at $a$, then it is not differentiable at $a$.
(2) If a function $f$ is not continuous at $a$, then it is not differentiable at $a$.
(3) If a function $f$ is not continuous at $a$, then it is differentiable at $a$.
(4) If a function $f$ is continuous at $a$, then it is differentiable at $a$.